


Wanted

by superlesbianturbo5000



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Bandits & Outlaws, Blood and Injury, Breakfast, Cooking, Cowboys & Cowgirls, F/F, Gun Violence, Horseback Riding, Horses, Medical Procedures, Serious Injuries, Slow Burn, Wild West AU, farmer rapunzel, outlaw cassandra, yeehaw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-03-20 10:45:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18991093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superlesbianturbo5000/pseuds/superlesbianturbo5000
Summary: Cassandra, on the run from the law and gravely injured, finds refuge in the barn of a stranger.





	1. The Chain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two strangers come together in the desert.

The thundering of what felt like a thousand hooves rumbled over the desert plains, kicking up dust as the sharp sound of gunshots rang out in the star-flecked night. Cassandra, tailed by this parade of cavalry, pressed herself closer into the hide of her horse. The clicking of her tongue was drowned by the fast-approaching lawmen; she squeezed the sides of her steed, pushing her to gallop faster into the night. 

The only cover was that of darkness- the sliver of the moon afforded so little visibility at that hour. There was no hint of life on this empty stretch of land. Wind blew Cassandra’s ratty hat off of her head, relegated to hanging onto her neck by thin twine. 

Cass, bleary-eyed and breathless, spotted the blocky silhouette of a barn backlit by the pinprick stars. She mustered a small grin, urging the horse to turn sharply toward the shape. The cavalry made a wide turn, and the thump of confused horses tripping over themselves gave Cass a rush. 

“Faster, Fidella, faster,” Cass muttered as she sped toward the broad side of the barn. She thwapped Fidella’s hindquarters and made a deft roll off the saddle, landing safely in a patch of thistle on the darkened side of the barn. The herd of idiots kept following after Fidella as Cass crawled out of sight. She allowed herself a sly victory grin, before realizing she had a sharp pain in her side. 

_Damn it._ Her hand came away wet and dark. Cass limped to the front of the building. A faint light flickered under the door. Cass stuffed her bandana in her mouth, muffling her pained whimpers. She pressed an ear to the door. Nothing. 

Cass pulled on the door. It slowly creaked open, letting the oil light wash over the dirt path outside. The interior was dim and warm. Purple paint flaked off onto her hands as she closed the door behind her. 

A white horse looked at her inquisitively from its stall. The door was absent, and it didn’t seem to be tied down to anything. Cass squinted at it, and made her way to a soft bed of hay in the corner of the barn. The horse snorted as she lowered herself carefully down on it. Her eyes drifted shut. 

In the nearby farmhouse, a window glowed with lantern light. 

~~~~

Rapunzel awoke with a start to the din of a passing stampede. She stumbled to the window as quick as her sleep-addled mind would allow her. She caught the tail end of a dozen horses, chasing one riderless mare into the night. She almost would have found it funny, if not for the pop of rifles echoing into the endless desert. 

She cocked her head curiously, ready to shrug off the strangeness of so many people in her little patch of land. Before she could slip back into her bed, however, the barn door swung open. Her white horse, Maximus, cantered out. He seemed agitated. 

Maximus peered around the side of the barn, staring after the runaway horses. He made the short gallop to Rapunzel’s window, huffing and snorting. 

“What’s wrong, Max?” Rapunzel stroked the stallion’s nose through her open window. He wriggled out of her grasp, throwing his head in the direction of the barn. He stamped his hooves impatiently. 

“Is there something in the barn?” Rapunzel chewed her bottom lip. Her eyes drifted over to the corner of her room, landing on an untouched shotgun. It was dusty and unloaded. She screwed her eyes shut and made her way to her front door empty-handed. 

She paused before exiting, snatching the cast-iron skillet that was drying on the wall. Rapunzel tested the weight in her hand and nodded to herself. 

~~~~

Rapunzel followed behind Maximus slowly as they made their way toward the barn. Her bare feet padded along the familiar path. Max nudged the barn door, sidestepping out of her way. She sucked in a breath and hopped into the room, skillet raised high above her head. 

She yelped at the figure sprawled out on the pile of loose hay in the corner of the barn. Blood flowed in a flower shape on the straw and the wooden floor. It was almost beautiful. She couldn’t breathe for a moment. _Who is she?_

The coppery scent wrinkled her nose and caused her to panic. Rapunzel approached the body, kneeling on the barn floor. Up close, Rapunzel noticed that the woman was rather handsome underneath her busted lip and bloodied face- _Good god, the blood!_

_Click._

Rapunzel felt the business end of a revolver pressing into her stomach. One eye cracked open under the mussed raven bangs of the trespasser. 

She coughed. “Don’t come any closer.”

Rapunzel reflexively dropped the skillet and raised her hands. The barrel followed her, smoothly trained on her gut, as she rose and began to back away. 

“Who are you? And-and what are you doing on my ranch?”

“It’d be better for you if you didn’t know.” 

“Can I at least know your name?”

She furrowed her brow and carefully slipped her pistol into her holster. “Cass. But you’d best forget it, miss.”

The stranger propped herself up on her elbows. The struggle was evident on her face. A hiss of pain whispered through her teeth. Rapunzel held out a hand, prepared to help. An icy glare stopped her cold. 

Cass’s sinewy arms trembled and gave out. She landed with a groan on the hay. 

“You’re hurt!” 

“Really-“ Cass’s quip was cut short by a rattling wheeze. 

“Let me help you,” Rapunzel said. She took a hesitant step forward. She held out her palm, as if to calm a wild animal. “I’m Rapunzel.”

 _Rapunzel._ Cass whispered the name, tasting its summer sweetness on her tongue. Her vision blurred, Rapunzel’s blonde hair turning into a halo of light, and then went dark.


	2. Southern Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel meets the mysterious stranger after saving her life.

Cass woke up to the light of the midmorning sun and the sensation of having been trampled by a buffalo. She swallowed thickly, clean sheets falling around her hips as she rose. 

_Shit._ Her eyes roved around the small room, trying to puzzle out where she had spent the night, and what exactly had happened. She remembered the thrill of the chase, and being shot. And a woman. 

The stabbing pain of her wound snapped her back to the present. Cass was clean, with a comfortable long shirt on. Her legs were bare and her waist was wrapped in white bandages. 

Cass pressed a cautious finger to the red spot. _Ouch._

Walking was going to be a problem. She braced herself on the nightstand, balancing on her shaking legs. Cass lifted her head, noticing the shotgun in the corner of the room. It was a nice one, shining like new. Cass stumbled over to it. 

It was empty, with no ammunition in sight. Oh, well. She grasped the butt of the gun, leaning her weight against it, and walked toward the bedroom door. 

Cass suddenly felt the absence of her own piece, and thought to wonder where her clothes were. 

From the bedroom doorway, Cass could see a quaint kitchen and a few pieces of furniture. 

“Oh! You’re awake!” The front door was open, and the blonde woman from last night walked in. Rapunzel. “How are you feeling?”

“‘M alright.” Cass mumbled. “Mornin’.”

“You really shouldn’t be walking around so soon.” 

Cass hummed in acknowledgement. She hobbled to Rapunzel’s kitchen table, sliding into one of the two chairs with audible relief. The cool wood felt good on her bare skin. 

Rapunzel’s eyes flicked toward her shotgun leaning against her table, her face warmed at the memory of dressing Cass’s wounds. 

“How do you like your eggs?” Rapunzel had a bright, infectious smile and no sense of personal space. 

Cass startled back at the freckled nose inches from hers, meeting those green eyes. “I’m not-“ She started, but her stomach disagreed. “-scrambled.”

Rapunzel skipped to her stove. “Comin’ right up, Cass.”

Her finger twitched for her peacemaker. “How do you know my name?” 

“You told me. The other night, remember?” Rapunzel set two steaming mugs on the table. 

“Oh.” Cass tapped her front teeth with her fingernail. “It was Rapunzel, right?” her host nodded from her stovetop, smiling warmly. 

Rapunzel felt a thrill at the sound of her name coming from the mysterious stranger. The eggs were cooked and plated. 

Cass poked at her breakfast. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the sheriff was on the way, despite how hospitable Rapunzel seemed. They ate in an uncomfortable silence. 

“How long was I out?” 

“Huh? Oh, you were asleep all yesterday! We were afraid you weren’t going to make it, but i’m glad you’re alright.”

“We?” Cass ground her teeth, knuckles white around her fork. 

Rapunzel laughed- it sounded to Cass like the delicate sounds of a wind chime. “Maximus was the one who found you in the barn.”

“I don’t suppose that’s your horse?” Rapunzel nodded. Cass sighed in relief. 

“And Pascal checked on you while I was working.”

Her husband. Cass wasn’t sure why she felt disappointed. She took a swig of her coffee instead of responding. 

“Were you being chased by that stampede last night?”

Cass chewed a mouthful of eggs slowly, maintaining eye contact. Rapunzel’s expression faltered. 

“I washed your clothes for you, but they’re not dry yet.” 

Cass swallowed. “Thank you. I appreciate it.” She paused. “Thanks for fixing me up, too.” 

Rapunzel rose to clear the table, and Cass chanced a look outside. She didn’t see anyone working out front, so she turned her attention to Rapunzel’s backside. She caught herself admiring the thick golden braid trailing down her spine. It reflected the sunlight and bobbed cutely as she scrubbed her dishes. 

Taking the shotgun from her side, she shuffled to the counter where Rapunzel was working. Silently, Cass dried dishes as Rapunzel set them aside. 

“I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I get my clothes back, miss.” 

Rapunzel stopped scrubbing and looked Cass directly in the eyes. “No, you won’t.” 

Cass’s eyebrows shot up, and she set her jaw. That slimy man was probably riding back on that stallion with the entire cavalry in tow. “You can tell Mister Pascal that I said thank you for the hospitality, but I will be going.” 

“No,” Rapunzel set down the mug she was cleaning. “you won’t. You’re going to lay down for the rest of the day until you can walk proper.” She slipped her hand over Cass’s and began to tug her toward the bedroom. “And you can thank Pascal yourself! He’s hiding in here somewhere.”

Cass flinched at the contact, but allowed herself to be pulled toward the bedroom. She fought a smirk at the role reversal. _Bossy,_ she thought, but not with malice. 

Rapunzel dropped her hand and started toward the nightstand. “Here he is!” 

A knob of wood on the bedpost turned from brown to a vibrant green. It gave a little trill, shocking Cassandra and causing her to stumble. 

“Cass, this is Pascal. He’s been my best little buddy forever!” Rapunzel dropped her voice. “Don’t tell Max.” Cass peered into Rapunzel’s cupped hands, spying a little green lizard. It looked like it was smiling at her. _Cute._

“What is that thing?” 

Rapunzel chewed her bottom lip. “I’m told he’s some type of frog, but I’m pretty sure that’s not true.”

Relief washed over Cass at the fact that Pascal was a small lizard, who was unlikely to rat her out. Rapunzel peeked at the muscled legs of her guest, and tore her gaze away to set Pascal on her nightstand. 

“You should get some rest.” Rapunzel led Cass into bed, a careful hand on her elbow. Cass felt some nervous sweat beading on her forehead as Rapunzel pulled the covers over her knees. 

“I’ll be just outside, holler if you need anything! I’ll probably come in to check on you and change your bandages in a few hours.” Rapunzel patted Cass’s shoulder and moved to grab the shotgun. She moved with it carefully and slowly, as if it could explode at any moment, and set it in its corner. 

Cass got the feeling that she was the first person to touch that firearm in ages. “It’s not loaded, you know.” 

Rapunzel left without a word. 

The sun warmed Cass’s face as she settled into the soft mattress. Despite having slept the entire day previous, she was exhausted. She watched the spot of violet and gold work in the distance as she drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cass passes the hell out for the 2nd chapter in a row.  
> A little longer this time. More to come soon !! Thinking Sunday updates for now.  
> Also, I'm organizing Cassunzel week over on cassunzelweek.tumblr.com, come check it out !!


	3. Buttons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel changes Cass's bandages.

The sun made its crawl toward the zenith of the sky and Rapunzel pulled dandelions from her garden. She wiped her brow, keeping an eye on her bedroom window. She placed the little sunbursts in her basket, counting and planning all the wine and salad she could make. 

“About time to check on her, huh?” Rapunzel said aloud to herself. It’s been so long since she’d had another human being on the farm, and she almost didn’t care why the handsome stranger had been pursued by every calvaryman in the valley. 

But she was still going to ask. 

Rapunzel mused about all the ridiculous reasons Cass might’ve been bleeding out in her barn. “Not murder, I hope.” 

Pascal chirped from the nightstand. She had wandered into her bedroom; Cass was dead asleep. Rapunzel paused, just watching the even rise and fall of Cass’s chest. She was stock-still. This murderer-maybe, probably not- was lying in her bed. Rapunzel recalled peeling the bloodied shirt from her torso, rinsing the red from her pale skin. Intimate, if it hadn’t been for the panic attack of trying to save a stranger’s life. Under normal circumstances, she’s not sure how she would have handled that sort of closeness and trust. Good thing Cass was unconscious. 

Rapunzel should patch that shirt when she has the chance. 

Rapunzel approached Cass’s bedside slowly. She splayed her fingers a whisper away from those mussed raven locks, the perfect curl in the center of her forehead, imagining their softness. Her hand pulled away, reaching for the wrinkled collar of Cass’s borrowed shirt. 

Her middle finger brushes the fabric. Cass did not stir. Rapunzel applies some pressure, making contact with the warmth of skin. 

A pale hand shoots up to grip Rapunzel’s wrist. Cass’s closed eyes scrunched, as if holding on to peaceful sleep, and blinked open. 

Her hazy eyes met Rapunzel’s. “It’s you.” 

Cass unknowingly sported half a goofy grin, but Rapunzel brushed it off as sleepy delusion. Cass stretched and sat up, swallowing a pained whimper. 

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up,” Rapunzel said as Cass rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “I should really change your bandages.”

“Oh. Right.”

An excruciating moment passed in silence. 

Rapunzel’s fingers tapped a rhythm on her thighs. “I’ll go get, um...” 

Cass watched her leave. Pascal chirped from the nightstand, and hopped away to follow her. She wondered where Rapunzel had slept last night, and how she had dragged her unconscious body into her bed. Cass’s stomach flipped at the implications. She really did feel terrible for intruding on this peaceful farm, possibly dragging the kindest woman she’d ever met into the tangled web that clung to her at every turn. 

From the kitchen, Rapunzel rooted around for spare medical supplies. Her insides were filled with buzzing anxiety. How to approach dressing the wounds of a woman conscious- would she look at her with those smoldering, jewel-like eyes? There was no helping it. Rapunzel loaded her arms with linen bandages. She paused, and reached in the back of her cabinet for a half-full bottle of gin. Just in case. 

As Cass hunched over herself in embarrassment, she heard the soft padding of the farmer’s bare feet. The little lizard was absent, and Rapunzel was sporting a sweet white apron. 

The bandages were set on the nightstand, and Rapunzel pulled a chair to the bedside. Cass’s throat bobbed, struggling to choke down her nerves. 

Rapunzel settled down and smiled at her warmly. “Ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be, miss.” Cass couldn’t disguise the crack of her voice. Her hand drifted halfway down the shirt, unbuttoning just below her sternum. 

Rapunzel looked everywhere except for Cass. The swirling grain of her floor was suddenly mesmerizing, until her guest coughed. 

Her head shot up. She noted that the bleeding was rather contained, surprisingly not staining her shirt terribly. Rapunzel hesitantly reached out, pulling away the sides of the shirt like a curtain. Sheets were pooled around Cass’s hips, half-exposing the jutting hip bones and little rolls of her stomach. Rapunzel tore her gaze away from the dark, wispy hairs underneath Cass’s navel and focused on the tucked end of her bandages. 

The silence unnerved Cass. She sniffed. She searched her mind for anything at all to say, but was interrupted by the honeyed voice of the farmer. 

“This might hurt.” Rapunzel chewed her bottom lip, fingers hovering over the end of the wrapping. 

_I’d like to bite that lip._ “I’m sure I’ve had worse, miss,” Cass said. “I could handle it myself. Lord knows I’ve patched myself up how many times.”

“No!” 

Cass blinked at the outburst. “Well, alright.”

“It’s just that,” Rapunzel ground her teeth. “I think it would just be better if I did it for you. It’s in a pretty bad spot. For, uh, doing it yourself. It didn’t hit anything super important, I think.”

I’ll say, Cass thought. She held her shirt open. 

Rapunzel took a deep breath, and began to unravel the linens. She thought about taking a swig from the gin, but wanted her hands to be steady, nerves be damned. 

“How bad is it?”

“Huh?” Rapunzel looked up, stopping her unwinding. “You’ll find out in a bit, I guess.” She gave a half-hearted laugh. The spot of blood grew in size as she unraveled more and more. She began to feel a bit sick, but soldiered on. 

While Cass enjoyed being so close to this woman, something about being at her mercy caused her jaw to lock and her head to throb. She jumped at the brush of sun-kissed hands on the underside of her breast. 

“Sorry.” Rapunzel whispered. 

The wound was nearly exposed now, blood staining Rapunzel’s fingers. 

“It was a pretty clean shot. You’re very lucky.” 

“If that was good luck, I don’t want to know what your idea of bad luck is, miss.” Cass’s lips turned up at the sound of Rapunzel’s laughter. 

“It’s Rapunzel, call me Rapunzel.” 

“Rapunzel.” Cass whispered it to herself in awe. _Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Rapunzel._

Cass hissed at the wet cloth pressed against the bullet wound. 

Rapunzel pulled the rag away. “Sorry!” 

“S’alright, Rapunzel.” What a beautiful name. Fit for a princess. 

With the wrappings gone, Cass felt how naked she was, in this strange place, with this strange woman. Hot breeze warmed her skin from the open window. She could only imagine how she would have felt if anybody else found her, bleeding and ferocious, a wild animal. An outlaw. She briefly wondered if Rapunzel knew who she was. 

She just hoped she didn’t ask. 

With the blood stemmed and cleaned, Rapunzel began to tightly wrap Cass’s torso in fresh bandages. The sun was just shy of setting, and Cass distracted herself with the vibrant blue-orange of the sky. 

“Done!” Rapunzel tied off the bandage. 

Cass stretched her neck and rotated her shoulders. “Good as new. Thank you kindly, Rapunzel.” She tilted her head and shot her a crooked smile through her lashes. 

“I’m glad you feel better.” Rapunzel stroked her braid, less nervous now that playing nursemaid was done. 

“I’m not sure how I can ever repay you.”

Rapunzel thought for a moment. She figured Cass wouldn’t be the type to let it go. “Help me with dinner?” 

“I’d be happy to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support guys !! I'm not sure how quickly I'll get chapter 4 out because hoo boy my life is a whirlwind rn.


	4. Dinner with an Outlaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Cass share a meal.

“I’ll get you some fresh clothes.” Rapunzel padded out of the room, leaving Cass to inspect her bandages. 

The work was clean, neat, and tight. Her ribs were strained, but she was comfortable otherwise; much more so than if she had been left to bleed to death. Cass worried one of the buttons between her thumb and forefinger, ears pricked for footsteps. 

She noticed that white stallion- Max- cantering outside, opening the barn door with his teeth and going back to his stall. _Curious._

Rapunzel trotted back into her bedroom, with a sun-faded yellow flannel and denim pants on her arm. 

Rapunzel spoke hurriedly. “I didn’t patch your shirt yet, so you can borrow one of mine.”

“I don’t expect you to do that, Miss Rapunzel, you’ve been mighty kind already.” Cass clasped her fingers to stop her fidgeting. “I reckon I can repair it myself, or wear it as-is.”

“No!” Rapunzel smoothed her fingers over the clean clothes. “I want to do it.”

Cass smiled at her. Their eyes met for a moment, shining, lingering for just a hair longer than either expected. Cass tore her gaze away first, focusing on the shirt. “Oh, right!” Rapunzel looked to the side and held out the garments. The white shirt was discarded, while the yellow hastily pulled on and buttoned. Sheets were still bunched around Cass’s waist, and she thought about how she could pull on trousers while injured. 

Rapunzel could only see movement out of the corner of her eye as she forced herself to stare a hole into her bedroom floor. She felt the garments being lifted off of her outstretched arm, and tried not to think about how Cass would look in her favorite shirt. As soon as she was unburdened, she crossed her arms. 

After some fiddling and loud creaking of the bed frame, Cass managed to pull on her comfortable and familiar trousers. Rapunzel chanced a look, and saw that Cass was decent and starting to brace herself on the bedpost. Natural as sunlight, she slipped her arm around Cass to help her up. 

Getting up was becoming easier, but Cass wouldn’t deny the thrill of the helpful hand around her waist. Her whole body felt warm and light, despite the pain. Rapunzel walked slowly and carefully, leading Cass to the kitchen. 

It was difficult to tell in the half-darkness, but Rapunzel’s cheeks were red. Her skin burned where she felt Cass’s warmth through the yellow shirt. Her yellow shirt. 

Rapunzel carefully deposited Cass into the same chair she had sat in during breakfast. Her cupped palm lingered on Cass’s ribcage for just a moment, before she pulled it away. 

As soon as she was able to relax, Cass noticed a savory scent wafting through the kitchen. Her stomach growled. Rapunzel grinned as she stirred the vegetable soup on the stove, and dished up two bowls. They clinked on the table as she set them down, one for her guest and one for herself. 

For a few minutes, the only sound in the kitchen was the whipping wind outside and the clatter of cutlery. 

Cass broke the silence. “This is really good.”

“Thank you!” Rapunzel met her eyes, radiating light. Total, agonizing silence once again. 

Rapunzel swallowed a chunk of carrot. “So…” 

“So.”

She set down her spoon and tapped her fingers on the table. Cass seemed unfazed, despite the throbbing in her side. Her eyes were drawn to the idle twirling of blonde hair through calloused fingers. 

Rapunzel swerved her eyes into Cass’s field of vision. “How’s your side?” 

 

“I’m fine, Raps.” Rapunzel warmed at the nickname. Cassandra fought the smirk coming over her face at the reaction. 

They ate quietly for a few minutes more. 

I need to ask her. Rapunzel spoke up. “So, how did you end up in these parts?”

“I rode in from the east.” 

Rapunzel nodded in thought. “And the cavalry?”

Cass choked and coughed on her broth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Come on, Cassandra,” Rapunzel scooted forward in her seat. “there has to be a good story there.” 

She laughed through her nose, letting her mussed curls fall over her eyes. “Alright, miss, but you asked for it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sry this is so late, I've been super busy moving and planning cassunzel week !! (check out the blog, cassunzelweek.tumblr.com !!) Cass's story is coming up next.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i loved writing it !!


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